Welcome to Season 6 of the Women of the Middle East podcast, which presents women’s stories, standing on themes around which their stories intersect, collide or/and merge. In this series, I delve into the core threads of our identities, unwavering feminist principles, and the driving force of activism.
In this
first episode, I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with
Dr Lina AbiRafeh. Dr. Lina is a renowned global women’s rights expert and a fervent advocate for gender equality. With a remarkable 25-year career impacting women’s lives in over 20 countries, including Afghanistan, Haiti, Central African Republic, and Papua New Guinea, her experience spans across various United Nations agencies and international NGOs. She has served as the executive director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University and holds positions on international boards such as The Global Institute for Women’s Leadership and the Global Women’s Institute. Her blend of activism, academia, and humanitarian work makes her insights invaluable.
We started off the conversation by discussing the hybridity of our identities. As two individuals shaped by diverse cultural influences, Dr. Lina and I reflected on the complexities of our “hybrid” identities. She described her own journey as a challenging yet rewarding process of self-discovery, one where feminist consciousness guided her to embrace the cultural elements that resonated with her core values while discarding others. She also touched on how this duality aided in her humanitarian work in countries like Afghanistan, where she was perceived as being closer to the local culture solely because she “looked” Arab.
We then delved into what sparked Dr. Lina’s decision to transcend personal challenges and engage in public activism. Her response resounded with power and clarity: a profound sense of righteous indignation in the face of injustice was the driving force behind her journey and continues to propel her forward. This impassioned anger found its roots in her childhood, where she yearned to fit in but came to the sobering realization that conforming to societal expectations provided no solace. Her path towards activism took shape as she boldly pushed back against these stifling expectations and the societal baggage that accompanies being an Arab woman. This process led her to a place of self-discovery and introspection, often marked by moments of identity crisis, which persist to this day. It’s within this ongoing journey of self-evolution that she discovered her true calling in public activism.
Our conversation continued with a discussion of the multifaceted nature of #feminism, with Dr. Lina voicing reservations about neatly compartmentalizing the movement based on specific identities. Feeling confined by labels, her relationships with women from different backgrounds have shaped her and fueled her activism. We spoke about topics that our societies have deemed ‘taboos’, such as menopause, in an attempt to take control over these topics that concern women and their bodies.
Moving on, we spoke about the intersection of academia and activism in Dr. Lina’s life, as she described herself as an accidental academic, mostly through the sense of curiosity that has developed along with her anger and curiosity. We spoke about The Arab Institute for Women given that it was celebrating its 50th anniversary. Dr. Lina shared her sense of pride in the institute, emphasizing that it not only one of the first organizations of its kind worldwide but has also managed to prosper within our region.
On being asked about her future work, Dr. Lina revealed that she was, in fact, working on a memoir, which certainly promises to be an anticipated release soon!
We wrapped up our conversation with a shared vision of coming together in the future, where we hope to engage in mutual sharing, collaboration, and active involvement in the ongoing fight for social justice, equality, and the dignity of all women.
